Withered Seeds
by moesilva13
Summary: Freyr, the King of Alfheim, has a daughter. How will her presence and relationship with the trickster affect all of their lives? Loki/OC, slightly AU. REUPLOADED,
1. Chapter 1

AUTHORS NOTE: A bit of context for the reader, Aswren Freyrleif is Freyr's daughter, so her last name literally means "heiress of Freyr". She is a Vanir, like her father, but also half-Jotun because of her mother, Gerd. Her powers as a Goddess are over rain, which she will fully inherit when her father deems her old enough. Finally, like all Vanir, she can see visions of the future. That's all I can really say about her, at least for now. This is an alternate universe depiction of her and Loki's life together, starting from the time they were small. Thanks for reading, reviews and comments are always welcome!

REVISION: I'm re-uploading EVERYTHING with grammatical and plot fixes, so it might do well to skim or reread in preparation for the next chapter (12)!

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"Only one of you can ascend to the throne... But both of you were born to be Kings." Odin smiled at his two young boys, their eager eyes boring up at him. As they walked up the steps to city level, Thor immediately broke off to tear after his friends, laughing sweetly. Loki still held onto his father, but his eyes scanned the people along the road for another small face.

"Are you looking for Aswren, Loki?" Odin teased, knowing the boy was almost too shy by nature. The dark head nodded, greens eyes still looking around.

A soft voice sent out a bird call, as in tune and perfect as any carved instrument. The sound spooked the boy, and he jumped a bit when he turned to meet the gentle brown head.

"Oh! She seems to have found you, boy," Odin laughed, patting his son on the back and walking on without him.

"Hello, Loki," she smiled, a feather fluttering in her pin-straight hair.

"Hello," he smiled back, softer and with less teeth.

The little girl grabbed his hand and started to lead him back the way he came, "Come on, I have something new to show you."

"And I have something to tell you." He said several minutes later when they approached the woods on the outskirts of Asgard, near the BiFrost. Freyr could be seen in the distance, walking towards the gate, after he realized his daughter was the Prince.

"What is it?" Her head ducked down as they maneuvered between the branches and lush green.

"Father told Thor and I today about the Great War, about kings. He even showed us the Frost Giant's casket, where all of their power is stored." Loki crouched to sit next to her on a smooth rock.

"Oh, wow!" She turned to face him. "Was it as pretty as my mother drew it?"

"Even more." He boasted, nudging her arm. "And... Can I ask you a question, Aswren?"

"You may."

"Do you think I would make a wise king? Father said a wise king never seeks out war, but is always prepared for it."

Her little pink mouth twisted in thought. "I think so. You are always prepared for anything. And you are a good friend, so I don't think you would ever look for war. Mother says war is one of the worst things."

Loki bowed his head in shyness, fully unprepared for the compliments. "...W-What did you want to show me?"

"Oh! This tree." She rose up, grabbing Loki's hand again and leading him a few meters into the brush behind them.

"It's a Carving Tree, with wood just strong and flexible enough for wittling. I made this already." Her little hand dove into the pouch on her hip, pulling out a small wooden whistle, only as big as her palm with three key holes.

"You keep it, since you can't whistle with your mouth."

His eyebrow arched up a bit in offense, but his big green eyes blinked in surprise at the gift. "So I can call you?"

"Mmhmm, the same way I call you when we lose sight of each other in the forest."

"...Thank you, Aswren. It's wonderful."

"Like you." She chirped happily, smiling when after a moment the boy began to smile as well.


	2. Chapter 2

As a small boy, Loki spent most of his time indoors, reading or practicing magic in the comforts of the palace walls. His best friend would come join him almost daily, usually sitting quietly, whittling or taking a nap. But for the past several days she had not surfaced, even in passing glances. He ventured out to the BiFrost to see if she was in Asgard, and Heimdall confirmed that she was still in Alfheim. The young Prince walked back to the palace, dejected and confused.

The Allfather was sitting by the hearth, enjoying a glass of mead in the evening glow. He approached his father quietly. "Father...?"

"Hmm? Yes, my son?" He started, patting the spot beside himself.

"Why is Aswren avoiding me? She hasn't come for almost a week." Loki was small enough to have to almost climb the tall piece of furniture, using his thin leg for leverage.

"You cannot find her outside the palace?"

"Heimdall says she has not left Alfheim."

"That's strange, but I believe I know why she's hiding. Several days ago, Freyr communicated to me that there was an accident at home. Aswren was tending the boars and one lashed out, kicking over the hot coals of their fire pit. The grass outside caught flame and swept a blaze across their fields. Though it was all over quickly, and I was told she was not harmed too badly, the poor lamb must still be so scared. Otherwise, she would have come to visit by now."

A large, calloused hand came out to pat his back. "I'm sorry, Loki. She will be back soon."

"Father.." Loki mumbled as the gears in his mind began to turn.

"Is Aswren afraid of fire?" He did not mean if it frightened her, but if there was an underlying problem that caused her to not leave the house for days afterwards.

"Oh, yes-Terrified."

"Why?"

"Well, Freyr also told me what had happened after you two first met, when we still talked regularly. He had made an enemy of Surtur, the King of the Fire Giants, in his youth. For the sake of vengeance, Surtur vowed to take his first-born daughter. In Alfheim, on the day of her birth, a fire giant ripped through the BiFrost and attempted to kidnap her. He was dealt with swiftly, but the ordeal still left Aswren with terrible burns and a complex that followed. She cannot remember but can neither explain her fear."

Loki looked down at his folded palms, bottom lip twisted in sadness for his best friend. His father reached over to smooth his hair. "She will be fine, such a strong girl will learn to better her fears."

The next day, Aswren made her way back to the Asgardian palace and snuck to the library to surprise her friend. Loki's inept senses caused him to look up first, ruining her attempt at scaring him. He grinned, hopping down from the chair and running into her hug. But as they parted and the boy looked hard at her face, he gasped at the angry red burn that cut across her innocent smile.


	3. Chapter 3

_Whoosh!_ Aswren ran past the citizens of Asgard in a brown flash, her bare feet sprinting efficiently and narrowly avoiding pieces of anything she broke.

"You're gonna pay for that, Freyrleif! I'll take it to your father!"

"Sorry, really sorry, can't stop!" Her long legs took her fast and far, with the feathers in her hair whipping behind her head. She was a teenager, perhaps 15, but more child than anything at heart. A few blocks behind the running girl, a dog-like Scrunt tore it's way through the crowd. Poor Aswren had disturbed it's den in the woods, and now it sought revenge.

She looked behind herself as she sped up towards the palace up on the hill. "Somebody! Help!" The animal was gaining fast, but on the road to the palace there was little people, and no one willing to stop and challenge a rouge Scrunt.

"Anybody!" Aswren yelled, not worried for her life, but annoyed as her legs became fatigued. The pair burst through the doors, eliciting gasps and shouts as Aswren slid under a heavy gold table to dodge a snap at her ankles. The dog roared savagely, jumping on top and scattering the feast onto the floor. She jumped up, taking off as a young Thor, without Mjornir, leaped at the beast and missed. His large body rolled on the ground, knocking a large vase onto the floor to crash into a million pieces.

Aswren had the homefield advantage but, slipping on spilt wine, she tumbled to a heap on the marble floor. Her scream resonated, cut short when Loki dashed to crouch over her, sending a stream of magic that turned the beast into a pile of weeds, fluttering down around them. Silence followed as she panted softly, looking up at all of the disappointed faces and scattered food.

"Ahh!" A nameless Goddess shrieked, wiping whipped cream from her face and hair.

"... My most sincerest apologies, your Majesty... Everyone." Aswren offered meakly, standing to pick salad from her bangs.

The crowd erupted quickly into a clustered buzz of different sayings. "Those Freyrleifs spend too much time with the Elves to have an ounce of sophistication."

"It's not Freyr or his family, it's just her!"

"You either don't notice her presence, or she's creating chaos."

"She's not even pretty-she won't get married unless Freyr creates a gimick to make her appealing."

"Oh, Aswren.." The Allfather sighed, rubbing his eyes and squinting with a headache.

The young Goddess awkwardy pulled all of the food scraps from her clothes, looking down at the floor. All of her life she was picked on for being too plain, not pretty enough, too much of a tomboy, too Elvish for any God to find her attractive. Alfheim was an untamed world of uncivilized forest-dwellers, and Aswren found it so beautiful. She wore shorts and no shoes, foregoing dresses and climbing trees instead of practicing etiquette or sparring in the ring. To a Midgardian she was the epitomy of beauty, but to Asgardian standards she was primitive and plain.

"...Yes, Allfather?" Her voice was small and pitiful when she approached the imposing figure, hands clasped behind her back.

"Do not worry about this. Just go outside, it's all right." He patted her back to send her towards the front door, trying to ignore the stares as she left.

Loki's face had fallen while listening to the crowds murmurs, and he absent-mindedly threw a piece of fruit onto the floor where it had stuck to his sleeve. His green eyes watched her leave, flickering over to his father who watched him carefully.

He nodded for Loki to follow his friend outside.

"...Aswren!" The prince called when he heard the palace doors close behind him. She was standing on the bridge that led away from the huge building, looking down into the water running below.

"Hello, Loki." She mumbled softly, only looking his way for a moment and feeling him lean against the railing next to her.

"You can't let their words bother you like this.."

"But it is true, isn't it? That I'm hopelessly unappealing, and don't have any skills." Her voice cracked a bit with sadness, but her eyes were still dry and downturned.

"No. I don't think so. Even I am slight compared to the other Gods, not as well built as say.. Fandral, or my own brother."

"But you have your magic-you turned that Scrunt into a pile of dandelions! I can.. swim." She chuckled in self-pity. "-and climb trees. That is the extent of my offering."

"Not everything. You're impossibly kind.. and loyal. You could easily become a diplomat or learn healing from the Elves."

"Perhaps.. I suppose everyone has a purpose, I just wish mine could be-" She paused, searching for the proper word.

"-Normal?"

"Yes. Normal. People can be proud of normal."

"When have we ever cared what people think?"


	4. Chapter 4

The raven-haired God, now practically a man, looked up from his table in the palace library as he saw Aswren nearly sprinting across the carpeted floor towards him. Her bouncing feet were bound in sandals, suggesting she was going to ask him to accompany her in a place outside the palace.

"Loki! Are you due anywhere soon?"

"Not that I am aware of. And I'm not hungry, I was planning to skip lunch and stay here."

"Would you like to come with me to the falls? I finished my chores for Father."

"I... Okay. But I won't get in, you know this." Nonetheless, he managed to close his book just as she grabbed his hand and urged him along. They walked in a comfortable silence to the BiFrost, requesting transit to Alfheim. Loki was certain that world was Aswren's favorite place to be, as she so openly stared in awe at every tree and creature as they walked through the brush.

She crouched over the edge of a spring, testing the temperature while Loki went to sit on a smooth rock, careful not to muddy up his cape or armor.

"You know, one day I'm going to teach you to swim." She proclaimed without looking back, piling her lack of armor and outer clothes next to the bank, standing in her cloth undershorts and a sleeveless tunic.

He looked away politely, though their underclothes were modest. It was still good etiquette to never see a lady without her armor or overcoat unless you were wed. "Raised by wolves" some would say to mock Aswren, who was not the most keen on royal mannerisms. Some of the other Gods even heatedly chastised her for it.

"I am not overly fond of the idea-I have never been talented in the water."

Her splash startled him a bit, making him peer over the edge to find her in the dark blue water. She was always a talented swimmer, holding her breath for almost hours, and navigating with the dexterity of a Midgardian dolphin. Aswren's head broke the surface with a small gasp, happy to be rid of the sweat and dirt that she accumulated from grooming her family's boars.

"Are you sure? It's unlike anything you've ever felt. Come on, you don't even get into the bathing pools back in the city. You use the jets that hang from the ceiling."

He turned sharpely, face turning pink in the cheeks. "How would you-"

"You told me." She chuckled lightly, putting her arms on the rocky bank.

"Oh...Well, then. I-SPLASH" Aswren cut off his last thought with a spray of water that stopped before his feet.

"Aswren! Do not dowse me, I'm still fully clothed!" He fought back, standing and backing up.

"Come on, it's not terribly frightening." She mused, leaning back and floating silently.

"I never said I was afraid. I merely stated my preference to not get wet." He mumbled, quickly throwing his clothes and armor in a tall pile. He stood defiantly in his leggings and bare feet, unphased by the wind and crossing his arms across his chest that was open to the air.

"Oh, for Gods sake. Here." She stood, climbing out and flinging her wet hair over one shoulder. His eyes looked everywhere except at her, becoming very interested in a plant by the water's edge.

"Put your arm around my shoulder.. and we are going to jump. The water is deep enough, you won't hit bottom."

His eyes widened, holding her tighter when she dragged them to the edge. "Shouldn't we talk about this, make a plan of ACTION!" He screamed when she pushed him in but, with his lithe reflexes, he managed to spin around and grab her arm, successfully pulling her down on top of him in the chilled water.

His drenched head came up with a gasp as he floated on instinct, kicking his legs. "Aswren!" He was a little irritated, paddling with difficulty over to the edge where he held himself above the water. Aswren had not yet resurfaced.

"...Wren?" Loki looked around nervously, blinking water from his long lashes. She quickly resurfaced next to him, smiling happily.

"You're alive!"

He rolled his eyes exasperately. "I said I was not a strong swimmer-my survival skills are inept."

"I'm glad...You know, you're the only one willing to come swimming with me. The Elves are not much company-they are a little too small."

Her smile was beaming and genuine as she leaned against the river rocks, looking over at him. "It's nice, yes?"

"Oh, quite. It feels better than the pools in Asgard, not so hot." He kicked experimentally, steadying himself on rocks that jutted out under his feet.

"How long can you hold your breath?"

His eyes scanned her face for an explaination. "As long as you need me to, I'm sure."

"Good, come with me. Just kick your legs and take a deep breath." She grabbed his hand comfortingly, pulling him away from the bank. His brow was furrowed with uncertainty, trying to pull away, but eventually gasping in a large breath and following her under the surface.

Her hand stayed in his the whole time, pulling him along under the surface, and he couldn't help but marvel at her form under the water. Her brown hair, that most thought to be boring, was waving behind her, thin body navigating expertly as a fish would. Under the surface, the water seemed to glow a lighter blue with expansions of brilliant, naturally layered marble and stone. They swam along the extensive tunnels until they opened up into a room of glamorous blue, green, and purple mineral walls. Their heads broke the surface, Loki looking around in awe at the winding rings of colors inside the cave. Aswren motioned to him stay quiet, placing a hand over his mouth and pointing with the other to a pile of stones on the shore. They were all worn perfectly smooth, in assorted shapes-some spheres, flat disks, spirals and recognizable lifeforms. They all sat in a mound as if they had been collected there. Her lips went up to his ear, hand still covering his mouth.

"Pick one." His eyes widened in suspicion, eyebrow arching to look at her curiously. Looking back at the pile, he waded over quietly, hand reaching out to teeter indecisively. He finally reached to lift the clearest green he could find, in an irregular shape. The vanes inside it were black, and it felt as smooth as any polished marble in his fingers. It even almost slid into the water when he was startled by an unearthly shriek.

"Naiads! Swim, Loki!" Aswren reached out desperately, clutching his arm and dragging him from the cave, his feet kicking behind her. Loki was taken by surprise and could not take a breath, but his magic conjured a bubble of air around his mouth that would help him breathe. The Naiads were a jealous breed of water nymphs, who viciously guarded their treasures. They swam swiftly after them, covered in slime and seaweed that stuck between their claws. The shrieks resounded even underwater, causing shivers of fear. Towards the bank, the Naiads flinched at the bright sunshine that reflected on the surface of the water, and eventually turned back into the dimmer water of their cave systems. Aswren and Loki kept swimming, bursting through the surface and panting slightly. Staring at eachother for a few moments, Aswren was the first to start laughing, and even inspired a small chuckle from her best friend.

"Yo-You still have the stone?"

"Yes. What were those things?" He looked around almost worriedly, panting softly.

"The Naiads. They collect stones like those and hoard them in caves under the water. Some of the most beautiful jewelry in Alfheim is made from stolen Naiad stones." Her palm slid into his, taking the stone and holding it up. "I'll make you a necklace-black leather strings?"

He smiled lightly. "That's you."

Her blue orbs darted back and forth between the stone and his face, wet strands falling down onto his forehead. She had a peculiar talent of empathy for all creatures and persons alike. Loki expressed signs of his insecurity from even this adolescent age, and Aswren made every attempt to curb his feelings of inferiority, even while she battled her own demons.

"Loki... Did you really mean what you said when we were younger? That I was not too plain?"

"I did. I said you were not too ordinary.. But I meant you are one of the most beautiful girls in Asgard."

Her head quickly looked up, a small smile ghosting across her lips as she saw he was looking down into the water. "I will tell your father you lied." She smiled, leaning forward when he continued to look down.

"I did not lie.. It would be of no benefit to me to lie to you." As he finished his sentence he lifted his head, eyes widening at how close her face was. At this proximity he could count the 5 freckles on her cheeks, noticing how 3 of them made a triangle under her right eye. Aswren looked up into his own eyes, brilliantly green from the reflecting water, and taking note of how even for a slight Asgardian that was still in puberty, he had an advantage of 2 or 3 inches on her. Off in the distance, a Scrunt howled to the two moons as Loki closed the gap between them, pressing his thin mouth timidly against hers. She did not reject him and instead moved closer on the rock, letting his arms wrap around her back. Her arms responded to come up to his neck, relishing the romantic scene she had concocted without even trying.

Aswren was the first to deepen the kiss, placing a hand in his wet raven locks. Then she froze, quickly backing away when she felt his hand pull the string keeping her undershirt closed. "Loki! What do you think you're doing?"

He smiled sheepishly, cheeks flushing and eyebrow raising deceitfully. "It was an accident." His gaze averted from hers when she grinned back, holding the shirt against her chest and turning around.

"Tie it back, please."

"Yes, ma'am." He mumbled sarcastically, blush fading and hiding behind his loose hair. From the woods they could hear heavy, crunching footsteps and large arms throwing back foliage.

"Brother... brother!" Thor bellowed. Even for a teenager, he had a massive presense.

"Thor! What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Loki stepped forward in the water, shielding Aswren behind his tall frame.

"Brother! The Gatekeeper told me you had gone to Alfheim. I wanted to talk to you ab-" Thor froze, noticing a female form hiding behind Loki.

"Aswren! Is that you? Hello there, you'r-Almost naked. I am.. so sorry." He began to chuckle nervously, wondering what he had interupted.

She stepped forward, still holding her shirt to her front. "Hello, Thor. It's fine, you weren't interrupting anything. How are you?"

"I am just fine, Aswren. I'm guessing you're doing quite well?" He laughed, extending his hand in a handshake.

"Yes, Thor. Thank you." She stepped out of the water, smiling, and trusting Loki's quick knot-tieing to hold her together. But the second she went to shake Thor's hand, the piece of under fabric fell, whipped away from her hand by a perfectly timed gust of wind.

"OH! MY goodness." Thor gaped, turning away only after his mouth fell open.

"Wow! That.. is ill-advised.." Loki gasped, shutting his eyes and putting a hand over them.

"AHH!" She screamed again, covering herself with her arms and picking up the garment, tying it swiftly and hopping over to put on her other clothes and armour.

"You two go on ahead and talk amongst yourselves.. Don't mind me." She mumbled, clumsily strapping on her clothes.

"What, um.. What did you want from me, Thor?"

Thor took his eyes from the younger girl, unashamedly, as a child who did not even realize he was staring. "Hmm? Oh! You were not at lunch and Father needed to speak with both of us. I know not what of."

"All right. Just give me a moment to get dressed." Loki's hair was starting to dry and he wrung out his leggings by the bank, picking up his armour and strapping on the sheets of metal over his tunic.

"Oh, by the way, Brother.." Thor approached his sibling with little subtlety, clapping a large paw on his shoulder and leaning down to whisper in his ear. "I am proud of you."

Loki's face scrunched in confusion until his eyes widened in realization. "Oh, you've got to be joking..."


	5. Chapter 5

Many years later, as they finally became a man and woman, their relationship was continuing to grow. They did not sit in the woods this time, and decided to play in Loki's natural habitat: the palace. Aswren sat cross-legged, a habit she still held onto from her childhood, on the crisp marble floor of a common-room. Loki stood above her in his better garments, eyes closed in concentration.

FIZZ. Spark. A green hue flashed as the man in front of her vanished, and the real Loki leaned out from behind a thick column of polished stone.

"See? Smooth, without seams. You want to be swift, unseen in your transition by the other person. Want to give it a try now?" He offered his hand to helped her stand up.

A corner of her mouth quirked up in a snicker. "You know, one day I am going to get so good at this that I will bring even you to your knees.. wondering where I am." Her speech paused, and if an opponent had blinked at the right moment, they would not have noticed her mistake.

"I know you are behind me."

"Damn it."

He turned, raising an eyebrow and chuckling at her frustrated remark. "You flickered. But don't worry, the key is practice. Should we try meditation again?"

"Maybe. But you know, it's just that.. " Aswren paused when his lips slid into a knowing smirk, eyes cast down at the floor, and hands clasped behind his back.

"You are much more talented at this than I." She admitted, smiling and chastising him with her gentle eyes.

"You know." She continued. "You act innocent, modest. But don't think I can't see how you eat my compliments with that face of yours. That smirk."

"It used to make me uncomfortable, even uneasy how you so openly admitted to admiring me. But, come now.. Do you not remember why we even met?"

"Because our fathers thought we were mute." She chuckled, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Noo.. Because my father knew you would be good for me too. You are not the only one with adoration and high opinions in their heart."

His eyes narrowed in gentle seriousness, thin smile opening to form words. "I have grown to very much admire your spirit, Aswren. I am amazed that this world, built upon power and brute force, created something so loyal and full of love. I was not so blessed with such qualities. But that doesn't mean I cannot appreciate them." His last words were drawn out in quiet emphasis when her eyes flickered back up to his own.

From around the corner into the other hallway, Thor's heavy footsteps did not go unoticed by Loki. He said what he wanted to even in his brother's hidden presence, regardless of the thunder god hearing his most intimate thoughts.

"Silver tongue, indeed.." Thor whispered to himself, smiling and turning to walk away.

"...Truly?" Aswren's voice rung out unafraid, but with eyes wide in vulnerability. This was her offering herself to him, trusting him to not break her heart.

"Of course."

She was not shaking, on the verge of tears, or weak with enamorous feelings. But her heart was pounding, and her arms reached out wrap him in an embrace, hopefully to still the racing organ.

He lifted his face to look back into her eyes again, as clear as any running water. Licking his bottom lip, he leaned forward to kiss her swiftly, but the slender body quickly disappeared in a puff of cerulean smoke.

She poked her head out from behind a pillar on the opposite side of the room, smiling. "Did I succeed that time?"

"...I knew you were going to do that."


	6. Chapter 6

The day soon came when Thor was to be crowned King of Asgard, and the whole city was teeming with excitement. This was meant to be the blonde's big day, but Aswren tried her best to keep Loki's spirits high-she knew this must be truly painful to watch. He has been so bitter about the idea of his "inferiority" to the thunder god. His best friend did not think the same. Her soft hands ran a powder brush over his forehead, attempting to make him as "regal" as possible.

".. All of this fuss is not really necessary, Aswren." He mumbled, blinking against the soft fur of the make-up tool.

"If I wasn't here then a total stranger would be preparing you." She smiled thoughtfully, cupping his chin as he slouched in his seat.

"To me, you are just as worthy of the throne as your brother. He may have the advantage of being the first born, but you are everything he is not."

"Today will still march forward, regardless of my friend's amorous sentiments."

As the young woman combed his raven hair, her lips placed a soft kiss against his crown. "You cannot control the heirarchy, Loki, but you will be rewarded in another way. Happiness and sadness are given equally to all."

He braced his hands against his knees, standing over her smaller frame. "I seem to be in a patch of misfortune lately. Next year should be splendid." He replied bitterly, taking his helmet from her, and flinching at the roar of the audience outside.

Once the royal family had taken their stances on the steps, Aswren went to be with Freyr in the front row, as the King and Princess of Alfheim. No other representatives of their world had been asked to attend the Asgardian ceremony.

The Allfather's staff resonated throughout the grand hall, silencing the crowd as Thor bowed before him.

"Thor.. Odinson: my heir, my first born, so long entrusted with the mighty hammer Mjornir-forged in the heart of a dying star. It's power has no equal. It is a weapon to destroy, or as a tool to build. Tis a fit companion for a king. I defended Asgard, and the lives of the innocent across the nine realms, since the time of the Great Beginning..."

Aswren listened obediently to the Allfather speak, clasping her hands and closing her eyes because she required sleep. The past week her sleep had been riddled with nightmares that she could not explain. Even now a tingle ran up her spine, eliciting an almost inaudible gasp when her eyelids opened to reveal a glazed white film over her irises. She succumbed to a vision of the future and saw several Jotuns, one of which grasped the casket in his claws, hoisting it away.

"...The Frost Giants." Aswren whispered, looking up at her Father and to Odin, who was then startled by the rumble underneath his feet. He met her gaze worriedly, and the one good eye spoke what she had feared.

Several minutes later and below the ground, the King and his two sons looked around the vault with a nervous sentiment, staring down at the mangled blue bodies encased in their own ice.

Thor was the first to speak up. "The Jotuns must pay for what they have done."

"They did pay-" Odin shot back with a parental roar. "-with their lives. And all is well."

"All is well?" Thor said without tact. "They broke into the weapons vault. If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics-"

"-They didn't-"

"-Well, I want to know why?" Loki eyed the bickering pair worriedly, green orbs darting back and forth.

"...I have a treuce with Laufey-King of the Jotuns."

"He just broke your truce! They know you are vulnerable."

Odin slowly turned to face his son, eyes making important calculations. "What action would you take?"

"March into Jotunheim as you once did. Teach them a lesson, break their spirits so they will never attempt to cross our borders again."

"You're thinking only as a warrior..." Odin said quietly, narrowing his eyes as he watched his son in disappointment.

"This was an act of war!"

"This was an act of but a few doomed to fail."

"Look how far they got!"

"We will find the breach in our defenses and it will be sealed." The Allfather' voice was calm and gentle, as if not to stir the beast that Thor threatened to be.

"As king of Asgard-"

"-BUT YOU'RE NOT KING! Not yet." Thor's nostrils flared as he did not watch his Father leave the vault with quiet footsteps.

* * *

Aswren bit her nails in worry, left alone when Freyr returned to Alfheim for regular duties. She shook her head while replacing the nervous habit for playing with the end of her sarong, and the gold thread-work that suddenly fascinated her.

Sif and the Warriors Three rounded the corner behind her, blinking with pity at the young woman who sat on the floor by herself. Fandral bent down beside her, brushing a piece of hair over her shoulder. "Hello, my lady. What's the matter? Where's Loki?"

Aswren blinked up at him with a small smile, taking the hand he offered to stand. "He and Thor have been with the Allfather since the ceremony. I was just waiting for Loki to come back."

The blonde's mustache smirked knowingly, looking back when Sif began to speak. "Frigga told me they just arrived and we are on our way to see them. Would you like to come along?"

Her red lips smiled down at the brunette, holding back her sense of distaste that Aswren was so close with the trickster. Their relationship always confused her, but she had also grown up beside Aswren and held a small instinct to look out for her best interest.

"Oh! Well then, all right." Aswren smiled, adjusting her blouse and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Splendid." Fandral smiled, putting a hand on the small of her back to guide her in the way they wished to go.

Volstagg looked down at Sif curiously, shrugging his shoulders. "Do you suppose Thor will give us the details? How exactly the Frost Giants managed to end up right below our feet."

"I assume so, and he will follow it with a confident tale of what he would have done to them if he had caught them himself."

"Oh! That will be fun, and complete with a demonstration. Someone will have to play the Jotun, though." Fandral laughed heartedly.

"Not me." Jogunn growled, raising an eyebrow at the blonde. "You become too excited with that sword of yours."

"It is not my fault hold back."

Volstagg piped up with his healthy bellow. "I meant to ask you, Aswren. How does the Flower fight her battles?"

"Me?" She blinked innocently, looking back at her rosy-cheeked acquaintance. "Oh, I prefer not to fight because I do not exactly have a weapon of choice."

Fandral looked at her disbelievingly. "But you practice magic, do you not?"

"To an extent. I have yet to learn that kind of aggressive magic."

"Well, what use is magic if you cannot fight with it?"

"Because I know something you do not. And that is always an advantage" She smirked, eyes glittering playfully.

The group chuckled at Fandral's open mouth, Volstagg speaking up first. "Ha! She has spirit after all. And at first I thought you were-What is this?" He gaped when they entered the room, eying the perfectly edible feast that was scattered across the floor.

* * *

"RAWR!" The blonde prince bellowed, tipping over the impressive golden table that held plenty of food, and throwing it's contents to the floor in his fury. He tried to slow his shakes by settling down on the steps behind him. Loki's silent boots crept from behind a large pillar, gently coming to sit beside the rumpled brother.

"...It is unwise to be in my company right now, brother..." His eyes darted over to Loki's presence, breathing bitterly. "This was meant to be my day of triumph."

"It'll come.. in time." The slighter man's voice was almost too soft to hear, calm and prying.

"What is this?" Volstagg gasped, looking down at the ruined food.

The princes continued their conversation as if the group had not walked in, Loki leaning close so his words could be nearly whispered. "If it's any consolation-I think you're right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything." Aswren watched them speak worriedly, leaning against the toppled table.

"If they managed to penetrate Asgard's defenses once, who's to say they won't try again? Next time with an army."

"Exactly-"

"-There's nothing you can do without defying Father." His green eyes widened as he watched the mischievous glitter in his brother's own eyes. "No, no no no no, Thor. I know that look-"

"-It's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders."

"Thor, it's madness."

"Madness?" Volstagg piped up at the thought of adventure, looking away from the sandwich he tried to prepare. "What sort of madness?"

"We're going to Jotunheim." Thor proclaimed, ignoring the swallow of Loki's throat.

"What?" Aswren gasped, blinking wildly.

"This isn't like a journey to Earth-" Fandral reasoned. "-where you summon a little lightening, and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a God.. This is Jotunheim."

"My father fought his way into Jotunheim before, defeated their armies and took their casket. We would just be looking for answers." He looked all too excited and pleased at the idea of confrontation. Loki rubbed his brow in frustration, looking up when Aswren tore at his gaze with a more bewildered expression. The trickster shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

"It is forbidden!" Sif shot back.

Thor chuckled at that, walking towards them. "My friends, have you forgotten all that we have done together? Fandral? Jogunn? Who led you into the most glorious battles?"

Jogunn quirked his mouth in haughty remembrance. "You did."

"Volstagg? To delicacies so succulent you thought you'd died and gone to Valhalla?"

He chuckled low and child-like. "You did."

"Yes! Who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known."

"I did!" She shot back playfully.

He halted his advance, pointing a finger. "True, but I supported you. And Aswren, who adores you more than most things in this world?" The whole room gasped, especially Loki, who almost jumped to his feet.

"My brother!" His large arm pointed to the thinner man still sitting on the steps. "And he will persuade you if you refuse to embark on this glorious adventure with us." Aswren released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, giving Thor a look that silently ended with a bark of 'You idiot.'

"My friends.. we're going to Jotunheim."


	7. Chapter 7

The group of warriors raced down the rainbow bridge with Aswren balancing in the middle of the pack on her chestnut stallion with white socks. The boar her Vanir father had bought her would seem silly among the Aesir's horses. With little time to prepare, she quickly chose the only weapon that was rightfully hers, a finely crafted bow with ivory arrows. It bounced against her back as her horse galloped among the rest.

They unmounted right before the BiFrost, Loki quickly walking to the front and whispering to Thor confidently.

"Let me handle this." He smirked knowingly and approached Heimdall.

"Good Heimdall-"

"-You're not dressed warmly enough."

His face went slack in disbelief, completely caught off guard. ".. I'm sorry?"

"You think you can deceive me."

"Y-You must be mistaken-"

"-Enough!" Loki was quickly silenced in shame, cut off by Thor's bellow.

"Heimdall, may we pass?"

"Never has an enemy slipped my watch until this day. I wish to know how that happened."

"Then tell no one where we've gone until we've returned, understand?" The blonde took charge, ignoring the way Loki cast his eyes at the ground. Heimdall did not answer, and the group walked past him as Loki continued to stand still.

Volstagg stayed behind a few steps to lean down at him. "Pity, that was your chance to impress your girlfriend." Loki sneered at him, walking swiftly to catch up to the others.

They all filed in quietly, Aswren standing beside Loki with worry in her furrowed brow. Should they be engaged in combat, she was not sure her experience could sustain her. He sensed the nervousness, looking down at her gloved hands and touching fingers lightly. The glow of Heimdall's sword suddendly filled the room, whipping them away from each other when thrown into the BiFrost's transport.

* * *

They landed on the frozen wasteland with a large boom, resonating and shaking the surrounding ice. The moment passed, and then aside from their own breathing, the entire world seemed silent, in waiting.

"We shouldn't be here.. " Jogunn wondered, looking around.

Aswren held her fur-lined cloak around her hair to block out the wind. "Would it be inappropriate of me to say that it is strangely beautiful?"

They all turned to her slowly, confusion written across their brows except for Loki beside her, who was used to her unconventional opinion. " ...I said strange."

"Let's move." Thor called out, stepping forward as the rest followed slowly.

They walked on for what seemed like hours, constantly surrounded by the same crumbling ruins. The landscape seemed empty, lifeless, left to die.

"Where are they?" Sif worried out-loud, suspiciously.

"Hiding." Thor proclaimed confidently. "These cowards always do."

"You seem quick to make judgments against an entire race." Aswren dared, looking at him hard when he turned around.

He wanted to smile, not worried because he deemed her not a threat. "You are really going to start this argument?"

"I've have never been wronged by a Frost Giant-my mother is Jotun for God's sake-my opinion is perfectly justified." She stood her ground, apprehensive and belligerent from their impending defeat.

"And if we were on the underside of this planet? The Fire Giants would stir your heart in other ways." Her mouth gasped, scrunching in disgust at his audacity. Surely the prince would have enough respect to leave her secrets out of this. Apparently not.

Loki put a hand on the small of her back, having winced from the same comment. "Leave his ignorance alone, Aswren, come on."

They kept on walking, trudging over the same snow until they came upon a curious collection of black stone and ice, shaped to form what might pass for a throne room.

Laufey's voice rang low and dangerous in the thin air. "You've come an awfully long way to die, Asgardians."

Thor, of course, felt his stature to be more threatening than it was. "I am Thor Odinson."

"We know who you are.." He leaned forward as he appeared on the grassy throne, red eyes narrowed and fierce.

"How did your people get into Asgard?" Thor demanded.

Laufey slowly turned his head to face the tiny Thor, growling low. "The House of Odin... is filled with traitors."

The son of Odin raised his hammer and stepped forward. "Do not dishonor my Father's name with your lies!"

Laufey snarled, standing quickly and revealing his true stature to tower above the rest. "Your father is a murderer and a thief! Why did you come here? To make peace?!"

His voice dropped at the mention of peace, sounding remarkably human. "You long for battle, you crave it. You're nothing but a boy, trying to prove himself a man."

Other giants stepped from the shadows, surrounding the crowd of warriors and encroaching on their space whilst Thor attempted to sound mighty. "This boy has grown tired of your mockery..."

Loki quickly ran to his brother's side, whispering fiercely while keeping his eyes trained on the icy God. "Thor, stop. And think. Look around you, we're outnumbered."

Thor took his personal space back bitterly. "Know your place, brother."

Laufey watched the pair, staring down at them. "You know not what your actions would unleash."

His eyes clouded with the thought of war, looking away in sad remembrance. "I do. Go now, while I still allow it." From under him a rather large Jotun, perhaps a prince, approached them, standing intimidatingly.

"We will accept.." Loki purred with his silver tongue. "Your most gracious offer. Come on, brother." He whispered, irritated with Thor's stubbornness.

"Run back home, little Princes." The large Jotun growled, making it sound oddly like 'Princess' in his drawl.

"Damn."

Thor chuckled at his brother's exhaustion. His next move was to unchoke Mjornir and smash his hammer into the giants face, sending him flying back to crash into the ice.

"Next?" The thunder God seemed to throw back the giants with ease, taking hits to the face with little thought or worry. His hammer at one point shattered a Jotun's skull, making it crash to the ground in icy bits.

"Whoa!" Aswren cried in surprise to dodge a Giant's blow with his frozen arm, watching it crash into the ground instead of against her head.

She looked around quickly, opting flight for fight. Lithe legs dashed to a column of ice, scrambling up it with the dexterity of an animal. Once perched up top she drew her bow, picking off any Jotun that dared come near her makeshift nest. Blue eyes trained down the pointed tips, and it surprised the warriors below to be saved by Death From Above.

They fought bravely and for only a short time before they began to become overwhelmed. Larger offspring appeared, throwing Loki onto his back and managing to burn Volstagg, who fought too close.

He winced in pain as his flesh sizzled and turned black. "Don't let 'em touch you!"

Aswren started to panic when the Jotun's trained their sights on her, climbing up the ice column and draining her supply of arrows. Desperate, she managed to throw one off by smashing his face with her empty bow. The dagger in her belt did little to help deter them. Her panic heightened as she heard Fandral's scream of pain when he was impaled on a tree of ice. She grunted in fear, closing her eyes and leaping off the tower.

The act seemed desperate, but her dexterity suggested she would stab her dagger into the ice and slow down to manageable stop. But a particular Jotun seemed to believe otherwise as he lashed his much larger arm out at her, seizing her cloak and slamming her small body against the jagged ice tower. As she fell, her hands that tried to grab onto purchase were shredded on the slide downward. She hit bottom with a sickening crunch and a gust of air leaving her lungs.

"No!" Loki cried as he watched her form tumble all the way down, hitting the ground with the distinct wet slap of flesh breaking open. He sprinted over the dead giants, falling to his knees at her side.

"Thor!" Sif cried, wondering if they would be bringing back two dead bodies. He seemed to not hear her, smashing away at the onslaught of blue guards.

"Wren?" Loki asked gently, lifting her head with his right hand.

Her blue eyes looked up at him with fright, frozen for a moment before a bright red splatter of blood erupted from her mouth, splashing against both of their faces. He winced, letting one tear fall from his clenched eyes. Taking a moment to compose himself, he dropped his throwing knife to collect her body in his arms.

"We MUST GO!" He demanded, screaming at his foolish brother.

"Then go!" Thor replied, continuing to hammer away the giants, one by one. A particularly hard pitch sent his hammer through one, two, three, four, five Frost Giants before it had no more bone to break, and obediently flew back. Laufey growled in frustration, waving a hand to defrost the enormous creature that lurked at their gates. It's large, overlapping canines looked long enough to dwarf a man, and it shook the snow from it's face with a growl that rattled the ground beneath their feet.

Loki gasped, holding Aswren tighter when she looked over and clutched his cloak in fear. "Thor!" He called after his brother, running with others who retreated for the BiFrost.

"Run, Loki!" Aswren gritted out between her teeth, a small line of red blood falling from the corner of her mouth. She bit down on her glove as with every harsh step he jingled her shattered ribs.

The monster took off after the group of scattering warriors, seemingly oblivious to the singular Thor who was actually succeeding at warding off the Jotuns. With a powerful thrust of Mjornir into the frozen ground, a giant ripple sprung out over the horizon, swallowing stray Jotuns and catching up to the royal family.

Aswren could see over his shoulder as he sprinted along, eyes widening at the vanishing terrain that crept up on them. "F-Faster, boy, faster... The ground is disappearing." She stated matter-of-factly, looking up with frightened eyes at his completely bewildered expression.

His mouth opened to question her mental state, but a quick glance in the opposite direction put him in silence. Instead, the prince could only run faster and attempt to keep his footing.

"Heimdall! Open the bridge!" Volstagg bellowed out, still heaving Fandral on his back who found the situation positively laughable.

"He won't." Loki thought out-loud, recalling the gatekeeper's instructions that should their return endanger Asgard, the portal would remain closed. Sif huffed in frustration, watching with worried eyes at the archer's state, unable to move until the healer's mend her spine.

The group trembled, watching the beast rise up on two legs, ready to wipe them out with mere stomps of it's clawed feet. Suddenly, a gust of wind flew above them, and Thor thrust himself through the mighty throat of the creature. The large body fell back and over the edge with a rumble that was almost as intimidating as it's voice. With the animal dead, Thor overlooked the much greater threat of the Jotuns that stalked them with their backs to the canyon.

Loki panted a bit in anxiety, feeling Aswren mutter something into his coat. She spoke too softly for him to hear, but he had a firm idea of what it was.

Grroowwwllll. The earth began to glow and shake beneath them, sprouting beams of rainbow light to carry the Allfather down the bridge. His eight-legged horse reared up, coming down with a hard clunk of hooves.

The King of the Jotuns approached him swiftly, eager to confront the other man on insidious terms. "Allfather... You look weary."

The Aesir panted slightly, trying to hide his fatigue and weakness. "Laufey. End this now."

"Your boys sought this out."

"You're right." He paused as the warriors looked around worriedly at eachother, accusing to others. "And these are the actions of a boy-treat them as such. You and I can end this here, now, before this further bloodshed."

"We are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather. He'll get what he came for: war, and death."

"So be it." The Jotun growled harshly in response, raising his dagger in futile anger. A second burst of bright, colorful light exploded from where the Allfather stood, knocking back the stray Frost Giants and sucking up the Asgardians into the BiFrost's portal.

The metal sphere whirred to a halt, mingling with the yelling voices of the King and his eldest son. "Why did you bring us back here?!"

"Do you realize what you've done, what you've started?"

"I was protecting my home."

"You couldn't manage to protect your friends, how did you expect to protect the kingdom? Get them to a healing room, now!" Loki quickly followed orders, passing Aswren's body over to Volstagg for him to carry as Jogunn and Sif helped Fandral to limp his way after them. The younger prince stayed behind, watching the warriors leave until they were out of sight.

The injured woman winced when she was cradled against Volstagg's shoulder, hands gripping his armour in realization of what he was planning. "No, not the horse! Noo..." She gasped in pain, letting out an empty, wheeze of cry when the warrior hauled himself over the horse's back.

"I'm sorry, Aswren, but by the looks of you, we don't have time to walk." Her legs, paralyzed from a broken spine, sat heavily against the horse's back as they rode along. She could see over her friend's shoulder as they rode, and her eyes widened at the thunder of the Bifrost in the distance.

_Farewell, Thor._


	8. Chapter 8

That night in the common room, the group of warriors and Loki sat worriedly around the fire, weighing over the events of the day.

"We should never have let him go." Volstagg offered, shaking his glass of mead.

Sif turned to the red-head. "There was no stopping him."

Fandral piped up from his spot on one of the three couches. "Well, at least he's only banished-not dead. Which is what we would all be if that God hadn't told Odin where we'd gone. As for Aswren, we'll find out what's become of her when the healers have finished their work."

Volstagg hissed from the other side of the room as Jogunn rubbed a healing salve on his frost bite. From across the room, Loki stood with his back to them, gulping nervously and looking frightened at the hand that had turned blue from a Jotun's touch.

The large red head bellowed again, irritated by the pain in his arm. "She won't be banished, this isn't even her realm. Freyr will only be disappointed that she was lumped into the idea. How did the God even know?"

"I told him." Loki whipped around, facing them.

"What?" Sif piped up, voice small from her disbelief.

"I told him to go to Odin after we'd left. He should be flogged for taking so long; we should have never reached Jotunheim."

"You told the God?!" Volstagg yelled, feeling slightly betrayed.

"I saved our lives." He defended. "And Thor's. I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did."

Sif stood immediately, pleading with him. "Loki, you must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind."

"And if I do, then what? I love Thor more dearly than any of you, but you know what he is. He's arrogant, reckless, he's dangerous. You saw how he was today. Is that what Asgard needs from it's king?" With that thought, Loki stormed out, hiding his true expression of both satisfaction and guilt.

The only woman in the room began to speak again when he was gone. "He may speak of the good of Asgard, but he has always been jealous of Thor."

Volstagg shrugged reluctantly. "We should be grateful to him, he saved our lives."

Jogunn spoke up as he put the healing salve away. "Laufey said there were traitors in the House of Odin. A master of magic could bring three Jotuns into Asgard."

With an unsure voice, Fandral defended him after a contemplating pause. "..Loki's always been one for mischief, but you're talking about something else entirely."

* * *

Alone, conflicted, and disturbed by the condition of his best friend in the healer's wing, Loki nearly sprinted down the steps to the weapon's vault, determined to locate any trace of the answers he sought. His trembling hands reached out to the casket, gripping it's cold metal tightly.

"Stop!"

Loki recognized his father's voice, frozen as he held the casket still. "..Am I cursed?"

"No."

Apart from the prince's heavy, nervous breathing, his ragged voice cut through the suddenly cold air with a shiver. "What am I?"

"You're my son.." His father urged, trying to comfort the clearly distressed man at the bottom of the steps.

However, the king was only slightly prepared to look upon the man's azure skin as he turned, eyes red and prominent against raised ridges of markings. "What more than that?"

He stalked forward with an accusing tone. "The casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

"...No. In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the temple and found a baby. Small, for a Giant's offspring, abandoned, suffering, left to die-Laufey's son."

Loki refused to look at him while he swallowed his broken heart. "...Laufey's son?"

"Yes." The Allfather's tone was soft, gentle, but not as comforting or apologetic as his adopted son would have preferred.

The weak voice became more frantic in his scramble for answers and relief. "Why?! You were knee-deep in Jotun blood, why would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child-"

"-No. You took me for a purpose. What was it?" When the king before him tried to conjure a way to soften the emotional blow, Loki burst with impatience, breaking out in a cold sweat. "TELL ME!"

"... I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace-through you. I tried to make you happy, and even gave you your first friend-Aswren."

"... W-What?" The trickster wheezed out to overcome the threat of tears.

"After bringing you home, I was told Freyr was expecting his second child by their Jotun mother: a girl. Should you be married-all three worlds would be united with Asgard at the alliance's heart. But those plans are foolish in the face of war."

"So, I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here, with my betrothed until you find it convenient to parade us in front of the kingdom?!"

"Why do you twist my words?" The weathered face turned to the side, frustrated with his distraught son.

"You could have told me what I was, what was expected of us from the beginning. WHY didn't you?"

"I only wanted to protect you from the truth.."

"What, because I-I am the monster parents tell their children about at night? Destined to become a mere bargaining chip, even in marraige?"

The Allfather had stopped responding to the silver tongue's bitter words, and seemed to shrink from his advances when he fell to the steps, now laying under the towering trickster.

"You know it all makes sense now, why you favored Thor all these years. Because no matter how much you claim to love me, you never intended to give the throne to a Frost Giant. You already had other plans. It was just convenience that the mate selected was half-Jotun. She was less inclined to be disgusted by her new husband!" Loki spat, only noticing the unconcious King when he came down from his frantic, angry high.

His harsh words hung in the silence like poison, causing the smallest sting of guilt to bubble up from him as tears in those pitiful, green eyes. A trembling palm reached forward slowly to touch hands with the stepfather, pulling away swiftly after only a graze.

"Guards! Guards, please help!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the lower levels of the palace, the healer's floor, Aswren screamed to the roof for her best friend, her father, the Allfather, anyone to come rescue her from the surge of moving hands. The doctor broke her ribs with a hammer and blunt chisel, exciting a yelp and cry with every swing. Being bent and carried and knocked around had caused her bones, encouraged by superhuman healing, to create wrong, painful shapes. She had been down there for a good portion of the hour already for her spinal cord to be mended. The downside was that now she could feel all of the breaking and bending.

"Hurry, please." She sobbed, letting out a strangled bark of a cry when another doctor tightened the device on her leg. The pressure was just enough to snap the bone where they had made an awkward 'v' shape. The metal clamp was taken away, and another person came to conjure a soothing wave of magic. Gold waves moved her bones like a puppeteer into proper position.

"Shh, relax. All we need to do now is some cleanup." The patient let out a sigh at the removal of so many hands, her brown, sweating head falling back against the cold metal table.

With a sparkle of magic around his hands, he made any floating splinters of bone disappear with a flick of his wrist, like a pencil eraser on paper. The organs were responding quickly to her rapid healing, and would be perfectly normal by the end of the already young night.

"We're going to place you in strong bandages that hold you together while your body's healing takes over..." The doctor's voice tried to be as comforting as it was strong.

"You know, the pain is a small price to pay, Princess Aswren." _Oh gods, I thought only the Elves called me that. Please don't say that again or everything wonderful you've done for my body will be in vain._

"You could have succumbed within the hour without treatment."

Aswren nodded, waving a hand dismissively and choosing to not dwell on how close she had come to death. A few orderlies came to carefully restrict her torso and shin in the linen wrappings, taking notice of when her face scrunched up as the fabric was stretched and pulled taut. They sat her up finally, mentioning for someone on the outside of the door to 'Come in now.'

Her sore torso groaned inwardly when Freyr stalked into the room, blue eyes stern enough to re-break her bones. She could feel herself shrinking under his powerful gaze when he approached her, not bothering to look at the healers buzzing around the room.

"Leave." He bellowed, just loud enough so they stopped to look at him with wide eyes.

"LEAVE!" His throat barked, causing a scurry of doctors and orderlies as they ran from the quite intimidating King of Alfheim. The door slamming shut was the only noise before the room fell silent. The princess new better than to speak before her father and waited patiently for his judgement.

"You could have been killed today." The statement was short, simple, overlaying many other piercing accusations.

"My throne would lay without a successor-this is not even about inheritance! Your brother, Fjolnir. I have already lost one child, yet you try my luck with another!"

She flinched at his raising voice that seemed to heighten with his determined hand gestures.

"And Jotunheim of all places, does it not bother you that those are your mother's people? Even yourself, this body runs equally divided with Jotun blood." The guilty woman looked down at her winter pants, stained with patches of deep red. It may not have been the blue of a full-blooded Jotun, but her tolerance of the cold and immunity to their frostbite let her stand apart from typical Vanir.

"I know that, father. I was foolish to believe that Thor was not looking for a fight, disguised by poorly executed diplomacy. I'm so sorry... I never meant for this to spiral so far out of control." Her eyes looked up at him sincerely, feeling shame dare her to look away.

His voice had calmed a bit, but he pointed with a meaty fist to prove his point. "You made the poorest of judgement, Aswren. But I am so very relieved you are going to be all right."

He nearly sighed when he went to grasp his daughter, inhaling the scent in her hair. As he pulled away to look down at her seriously, the princess became timid again in fear. She had seen that look before-a punishment fitting was about to be said.

"Due to these, um... new circumstances between Jotunheim and Asgard, I have every right to take you back to Alfheim for the foreseeable future."

"What? Father!" Aswren gasped, standing up from the metal table and challenging the giant.

"You can't keep me there, I have a life here! Outside of you and mother, this is my home... I can't imagine being away for the duration of the war."

"This so-called home is about to be the epicenter of the war. You are not safe here anymore. You live within the palace according to an agreement I have with the Allfather, and if your life is in danger than I can remove you immediately."

Her ruffled hair waved with the shake of her head, taken aback and staring at him incredulously. "What 'agreement'? What do you mean?" If her body wasn't so beaten, she would have been reprimanded for the way she spit out those words.

"I was told you would never need to know, and things looked promising enough to seem that way, but the circumstances have changed."

"Tell me, father... What are you saying?" Blue eyes widened to look at him suspiciously, head tilted as if to hear him better.

"Wise kings strive for peace, and to make strong, trustworthy alliances. The Allfather wished to unite Alfheim and Asgard. Because my wife is Jotun, our bond would create an incentive of peace between all 3 worlds. So, he proposed a marriage-his son and my daughter to bring the kingdoms together."

The red-haired man flinched with guilt, watching her face gasp in realization. "You and Loki did not meet by accident. You didn't take up rooms in the palace just to learn magic. I-I surrendered you to Odin. He was to make the judgement of when you would be announced betrothed."

"H-How could you do that to me? You took my womanhood, my happiness into pure chance, making decisions I had absolutely no control over. The only reason I am not furious is because I am very much in love. When I calm down, I'll thank you, father. Your poor judgement has given me something very worth while."

His red cheeks lit up in a smile, genuinely relieved. "I am glad, Aswren." A large hand, peppered with red hair, came up to brush her cheek, evoking a sigh of defeat.

"I cannot deny the softness of a woman's face anything she desires... I should take you home to never return, but you deserve the love I almost denied you."

He smiled wider when her face lit up at his insinuation, and the princess leaped up to throw her arms around his thick neck.

"The Asgardians will have to vigilantly protect my flower.." His arms came up to hug her back, stroking the bandages lovingly.

"Thank you, father. I promise to use my freedom in your favor."

He pulled away to look at her playfully, only half-joking. "Freedom? I leave you on loan, little afir. Another incident with you in the healer's care and I will lock your chambers so that not even the elves could penetrate your rooms."

"Yes, Sir."


	9. Chapter 9

The Green Prince paced anxiously outside his Father's bed chambers, running his hands through his hair. His exceptional mind blurred together with all that has just happened. Up until this point, his life had just been a fabrication by the Allfather- a desperate attempt to preserve his newest spoil of war. Even his friendship with Aswren was arranged by their two fathers for the sake of diplomacy. Odin saw it as a marriage to unite the realms, and a stroke of kindness to gift his prize with someone to play with. How differently their first meeting seemed with this newest piece of information.

_The land surrounding the gates of Asgard was a lush patch of land with places for recreational events and viewing. Odin and Freyr met under a covered pavilion, ignoring the trees and waterfalls that they stood meters above. Each man extended a hand, grasping the other's forearm in a friendly greeting. _

_"You drive a hard bargain, Allfather." Freyr bellowed, running a hand through his thick red hair._

_"Think of it as a gesture of good will." _

_"Quite, I think. She's just so young-I haven't even thought about education let alone her future in a husband."_

_"Oh, I know, and I'm so pleased that you've been willing to work with me." _

_"As far as housing right now, you realize she will use the BiFrost for several years? And only take up rooms in the palace when I deem her old enough."_

_"Understandable, and Heimdall will be made aware."_

_The other God chewed on his lip sideways, looking from his daughter to the dark-haired boy who stood in the pasture behind the Allfather. "Are we even sure they will take kindly to eachother? I'm not unaware the boy is a Jotun, and thats not the issue, but an arranged marriage is not usually taken lightly by those involved."_

_"Their innocence will sustain them at first, but that is the point of this experiment: acceptance. Like you said, your wife is Jotun and the children's marriage can ensure that the peace you have with Jotunheim will be carried over into Asgard. This is the first step."_

_"But my concerns are still rational."_

_"As far as I am concerned, they will never know of our agreement. Not until they are mature enough to know why we did it. Then they will embrace their situation. "_

_Freyr eyed the King with a skeptical expression. "You seem so confident, Allfather. Who is to say they won't resent us in the future?"_

_"When they are ready necessity will overcome any protests that should arise. They will walk away with honor."_

_Freyr smiled slowly, mulling over a certain thought. "Then again, they could bloom on their own. It would all seem the perfect coincidence."_

_Odin smiled back at him. "One can hope. Loki!" _

_The King waved his son over to them. "Come here, please." _

_The God of sunshine whistled curtly, catching his daughter's attention and signaling her to stand beside him. _

_"Loki." Odin rubbed his son's small shoulder, no more than 3 years old by Midgardian standards. _

_"This is Aswren, can you say hello?" _

_The boy's green eyes blinked widely at the brown-headed girl with feathers in her hair. He swallowed before answering obediently. "Hello, Ath-wren." His small voice sounded unformed around the syllables of her name, but you could understand him easily enough. _

_Freyr bent down to his daughter's level, brushing back a lock of loose hair with his tender paw. "Say hi to Loki, Aswren."_

_"..." She only stared for a few moments, as if to study him, and curled her mouth in thought. Stepping forward and causing the boy to reel back a bit, she reached out to grab his forearm and shake it roughly. It was a childish imitation of what she had seen the adults do. _

_"Niss to meet you, Oh-ki." Her little voice piped up confidently, causing both older men to chuckle._

_"She's quite the charmer, Freyr." Odin chuckled._

_"Yes, your boy seems a bit intimidated." The God shook his head, clicking his tongue. Loki leaned back as the girl shook his arm, looking scared and shy._

_"He will come around, eventually. Loki?" The raven-haired boy looked up at his father wearily, ready to take a step back. _

_"Can you go play with Aswren?"_

_The little girl saw him almost shake his head, and she looked up at her guardian. "He's shy, daddy?"_

_"It would seem so, little one. Why don't you show him the flowers you showed me? Gently now, don't spook him." The father laughed heartily, watching her approach him like a frightened foal that stood behind his parent's leg. _

_Her hand was extended to him as a sign of peace. "Come see my fwowers?" She offered, looking at him with big blue eyes. _

_"Go on, Loki." Odin urged. His son's hand teetered softly over hers, as if testing a hot plate. Finally, he took the appendage offered and allowed himself to be led into the pasture._

_Both fathers watched them play for a few minutes, with Freyr finally breaking the silence. "Let's pray they become the best of friends."_

_"One can only hope."_

_At first, Aswren did all of the talking, chattering constantly while the uncertain boy only watched and listened. As if sent to spur his tongue to work, a small brown bird fluttered down to pick at the tree that the pair were studying. _

_Loki's mouth burst open in excitement, pointing to the little creature that he had read about. "Look! It's a Wren bird."_

The Prince recalled the following years vividly, never questioning at the time why the Princess of Alfheim spent most of her time in Asgard. Both he and Aswren had been covinced that she moved into the palace permanentely for her education. Neither had any idea what the heirarchy had in mind.

He saw them as victims, thrown together by fate and so innocent to the treachery inside the palace's very walls. But the dark Prince pursued a pilgrimage, and their disadvantage would not deter him from the target at hand. Even now, as he spiraled down into his plans of vengeance, creating the strategy the win, she became just an accessory. In the context of his own selfish needs, unfulfilled desires, how she reacted would become the lower priority.

_I won't lose. Not again. This fight is mine, and when the last body falls, I alone will emerge the victor. For Asgard, for the throne, for my father's blessing. _

_But when the dust finally settles, will she still be mine? _

_Would such a pure soul turn to dust in my fingers? _

_Can I bear to be the one that stains her skin with the blood on my own hands? _

_... I must. Or this will all have been for nothing._

_For no one._


	10. Chapter 10

Aswren winced slightly in pain as she unwound the constricting bandages from her breasts, back, and stomache. Her arms reached forward to use the bathroom wall as leverage and re-adjust her bones with an eerie series of pops. She sighed in relief, leaning back to groan when a tingling ache took over her abdomen. Then, suffering a few seconds of irregularity, her heart pumped new blood to the less restricted organs, washing comfort over her entire body.

"That's better." She sighed, leaning over to spit blood into the drain and grab her night gown from where she had left it on the counter.

Walking over to the window sill she stilled, glancing out over the softly lit kingdom with a small smile. The surrounding galaxies seemed so much brighter from this realm than her own, standing out in glittering sheets against the blackness of space. As much as Aswren could go on for hours about Alfheim's untamed natural beauty, the canopy made some areas black on the clearest summer night.

Her thoughts were broken off by a soft knock that came from her door. "Come in."

The dark Prince entered quietly, making sure the door made no noise when it closed behind him. Aswren immediately turned to meet her intruder, melting into a gentle smile when she noticed his presence.

"Loki." She chirped pleasantly, hopping down from the window sill and striding over to him.

The sheer fabric of her nightgown swished softly against the ground when she walked, held to her shoulders by bands of golden thread. His tongue turned to cotton inside his mouth as he gazed down at her unmarred shoulders, the smooth curve of her neck, up to a childish face that was kind and vulnerable. This was not the body he had run to the healer's room covered in blood.

"Loki.. Is your father all right?"

"My what?" He squeaked out, swallowing his guilt and trying to bring life into his voice.

"I heard about his collapse when I came back from taking Freyr to the BiFrost." Her swimming blue eyes looked him up and down, trying to find the source of his distress.

"It's nothing to worry about-the Odinsleep. We were all taken by surprise, that's all." His trained eyes watched the relieved fall in her shoulders when he reassured her with a steady voice.

He continued. "I can see you're doing equally well."

"Oh!" Her hands came up to smooth the wrinkles on her bed clothes. "Yes, everything is in working order, thankfully."

"Really?" He purred, taking a step forward. "Should we test that?"

Her doe eyes blinked wide at him, taken aback by his sudden confidence and gile. "Uh..." She shifted awkwardly between his advancing arms, bringing her own around his neck.

"What's wrong? Have I not always taken care of you?" He whispered against her neck.

The stiffness in her muscles seemed to melt away at such fond memories, and her slender fingers came up to make him look at her. "You know I trust you completely. You have never hurt me, and I doubt you ever will."

That was it. As swift as a knife severes ties, the smirk was slapped from his face. The only emotion left behind was the grimace at what he was about to do. His mind raced, and before the sentimental smile could leave her mouth he froze her in time with a steady stream of magic.

The whispers of green light crept from his hands, down her legs and up into the pools of her collarbone. The imaginary fingers slithered up the expanses of her neck, drawing patterns across unblemished cheeks.

He gnawed on his lip as he watched her eyelids slide closed, face going slack as the rest of her body seemed to tense and relax uncontrollably. Without warning a light exploded from inside her chest, and her head reared back to the heavens, screaming in a pitch too broken to be heard over the whisper of sorcery.

She gasped and gulped for air, gnashing her teeth at the green streams that tried to consume her. Blue eyes looked at him finally, wet with their own water, and pleading for help.

His stoic mouth stayed firm to keep the tears at bay, not moving to chant hushed words of comfort. He was forced to look away when her arms went limp, and ceased to clutch his frock.

The green light made a home for itself inside the center of her chest, tucking her soul inside a dark place and leaving blue orbs lifeless, without a master. In it's place, the master of magic forged his own puppet, replacing her spirit with a machine that would obey and respond to his touch.

Hot tears betrayed him as he watched the blue light of her soul fade to black, replaced by his own creation. He tried to justify himself, believing that in times of war desperate measures must be taken to ensure victory. To protect his flower and preserve a fragment of her innocence, he stole her body so that she would not have to witness the crimes he was about to commit.

As the green ribbons of his magic dissolved back into air, her soulless eyes stared at him readily, awaiting orders. Their blank look was more than he could take, and with a wave of his hand she seemed to switch off, falling from his arms onto the marble floor. He clenched his jaw as he stared down at her unconcious body, and held down a wretch of disgust.

She was his now, in every way he didn't want.


	11. Chapter 11

"Allfather, we wish to speak with you immediately."

The courageous three climbed proudly up the steps of the throne room, ready to ask for Thor's release. They seemed shocked to find the silver-tongued son sitting on the golden chair.

"My friends." Loki mocked, allowing them inside.

"Where's Odin?"

"Father has fallen into the Odin-sleep. Mother fears he may never awaken again." His voice weakened a bit in his own show. Aswren sat obediently on the stone steps, her hands folded in her lap. The warriors could sense something was wrong, and were struck by the way her irises were black as coal, rather than their normal, icy blue.

"We wish to speak with her." Sif bellowed in a small demand.

"She has refused to leave my father's bedside. You can bring your urgent matter to me..." He assured, placing a hand over his heart, and standing dominantly. His hand waved for Aswren to leave, and she rose to her feet on command, pattering from the room without even a glance to Sif or her friends.

Reluctantly, each rose their fist to their heart, kneeling. "My king." Sif started. "We may ask that you end Thor's banishment."

He chuckled lightly. "My first command cannot be to undo the All-Father's last. We are on the brink of war with Jotunheim, and the people need a feeling of continuity in order to feel safe in these difficult times. In fact, I intend to make my first act a joyous occasion. A ceremony fit for uplifting spirits-the royal wedding."

Sif audibly gasped, standing abruptly. "What?"

He paced slowly in front of them, suddenly anxious. "Yes. I intend to take Aswren as my wife, and make a celebration of the affair. It is much more appealing than a 'Welcome Home' party for the brother fallen from grace. His time will come."

Sif stepped forward, itching to strike the man across his face, but Fandral held her swinging arm. "Yes, of course. Thank you for your consideration." The warrior seethed in frustration, motioning for the others to join him when he made a dash for the exit. The lady warrior stayed back for a moment, glaring up at the self-proclaimed King. Aswren's eyes were haunting, and had struck Sif with a frightening realization that she was under the influence of magic.

Could he really be that desperate?

* * *

The next few weeks seemed to be a seamless transition for the common people, but the hierarchy inside the palace was tense and insecure. Diplomacy was handled with care, and the self-appointed King seemed to be quite charming to each of his guests. Numerous officials came to Asgard to exchange formalities and discuss the possibility of a complete transition in leadership, which led to many busy dinners with hushed voices. But Sif and the Warriors Three knew better than to trust the handsome smile of the Green Prince, and instead chose to watch his complacent lover with suspicious eyes.

Aswren was equally pleasant to all who came to congratulate the young couple, flashing a smile that seemed to the worried friends as if it was practiced in front of a mirror. Her hair was curled and cared for, and even her face was painted with makeup that no one had seen her wear before. Sif observed the maids go up to her room each morning carrying a new gown or frock for the Princess to wear. The sudden vanity was shocking behavior for a girl who had previously always opted for comfortable and cool.

Fandral used to look forward to the small hours of the morning when he would rise with the dawn and leisurely condition his body on the courtyard's damp grass. He could always count on Aswren's presence to give him a hello when she crossed the grounds to the stables. She would be carrying fruit for the horses and often sit with him for a few minutes, sharing her apples and chatting idly. Weeks have gone by since her last visit, and the poor man was bitterly adjusting to spending his mornings alone.

"It's sickening, isn't it?" Sif mumbled to herself, looking out at the Warriors Three.

Volstagg carefully sliced at an apple in his hands with a dagger, nodding sadly at her words. Fandral refused to sit still, and was pacing inside the orchard in which they had gathered. "What? How he parades her around like his own personal puppet, a living doll to say 'Yes, Sir' to whatever he wants?"

"It can't be anything but dangerous. What is his magic doing to her?" Jogunn piped up from his perch on a rock.

"She's under some sort of spell-her eyes are blackened over like two pieces of coal." Lady Sif waved her hand in front of her face to describe the eyes.

"Why not go to Alfheim?" The large, sulking red-head offered.

"What? Not this again, leaving the safety of Asgard is a bad idea in general." Fandral swore, stopping their speech with a motion of his hand.

"There are plenty of shamans right here that we can talk to."

"And learn what? The Asgardians have never held magic in high regard. No one in their right mind would come forward to speak with 3 warriors from the royal court. Besides, half of all the books in the universe on magic would be written in Elvish. We have to go to the source."

"..." The blonde warrior stayed silent, breathing heavily from his nose in frustration.

"We have to save her..."

"... Fine. But we can't let Freyr know what we are up to. If he finds out that Loki has harmed his daughter, he'll start a war like none of us have ever seen."

* * *

The Warriors road unsurely to the BiFrost, unsure of the adventure would lie ahead of them. Alfheim was not known to be a hostile world, but the Elves were shadowy creatures, and their illusions could steal years from even a God. As children they had heard stories of weary travelers becoming snared, as if by Sirens, and never returning from the Elves' Home.

They unmounted outside the BiFrost, reluctant to approach Heimdall for passage.

"Heimdall, we wish to go to Alfheim." Fandral piped up, trying his best to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

"To search for a cure for the Princess." Sif nodded at his correct assumption, determined to not return empty-handed.

"I saw the scene in it's entirety a fortnight ago, and it's become apparent to me that Loki has imprisoned her soul. Folded it away and stuffed something else inside her head, something compliant that he created."

"Surely the Elves can fix her.." Sif stepped forward with earnest.

"They can, but you must know where to look. The Elves surrounding the BiFrost are small, fairy-like, and of no use to you. You will have to travel far South, and find the Light Elves who resemble us. They can teach you all that you need to know."

"Deep South. Big Elves. Got it." Fandral seemed to make a mental note in his mind.

"But be warned. We are all aware of the consequences if Freyr was to discover your presence. He has many scouts mixed within the common people. Make your journey quick and avoid their wandering gaze."

"Yes, Heimdall. We'll try to return within a few days." Sif assured him.

"And warriors.." He bellowed over the sound of the BiFrost firing and roaring to life. "..Remember why you are there."


End file.
